Voltage-regulator for dynamos.



No. 770,099. PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904. G. S. NEELEY.

VOLTAGE REGULATOR FOR DYNAMOS.

APPLICATION FILED APEJ. 1904. MODEL 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WW 0 3 M Q? PQATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904.

I G. S. NEELBY. VOLTAGE. REGULATOR FOR DYNAMOS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1, 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904.

G. S. NEELEY. VOLTAGE REGULATOR FOR DYNAMOS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1. 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

NO MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented September 13, 1904.

PATENT OEEIcE.

VOLTAGE-REGULATOR FOR DYNAIVIOS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,099, dated September 13, 1904.

Application filed April 1, 1904. Serial No. 201,145. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. NEELEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Voltage- Regulators for Dynamos, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to voltage-regulators for alternating dynamos, the one herein disclosed being more particularly designed for the automatic production of a constant voltage regardless of load either at the terminals of the alternating dynamo or at any distant point upon the lines.

For simplicity of illustration I have shown a single-phase alternating dynamo, although the same construction of regulator is applicable to any phase system.

The object of my present invention is to improve upon and simplify the construction illustrated and described in my prior application,filed January 19, 190 1, Serial No. 189,768.

In my present invention I. show certain novel devices and combinations of parts by means of which I am enabled to provide a voltage-regulator possessing advantages which render it more simple and susceptible to very delicate changes in voltage and one which is also capable of more delicate adjustment.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a machine embodying my invention, the casing being shown with doors and front removed therefrom. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. I is a diagrammatic view of my invention applied to a single-phase alternating dynamo. Fig. 5 is a detail section of the auxiliary contacts.

In my present application for the purpose of controlling the arc-forming contacts I have provided two windings comprising two independent solenoids 1 and 2, which are arranged with their cores 3 and I in axial alinement and placed one above the other. These cores are preferably built up of the usual softiron wires and bound together and provided with fiber heads 5, held in position upon a stem 6 by means of nuts 7. Said solenoids are preferably provided with perforated guidingears 8 and adjustably mounted upon vertical rods 9 in such a manner that each solenoid can be shifted so as to inclose more or less of its core, whereby any desired degree of magnetic effect may be brought to bear on the core within the capacity of the solenoid. Small collars 10 are clamped upon said rods 9 by means of set-screws 11 for the purpose of supporting said solenoids at the required adjustment. The solenoid 1 is supplied with current from a series transformer 12 in the main line 13, while the solenoid 2 is connected directly across the main line of the alternating dynamo 14. This arrangement enables me to use any-sized series transformer, as I can adjust the magnetic pull of the solenoid 1 by moving it in or out of range of the core 8. The current from the series transformer 12 must overcome the resistance in thesolenoid 1.

In my present application I have dispensed with the complicated carbon-holders, as well as with every form of pivot, the cores and all moving parts connected thereto being carried by a regulating-spring 15, and at the lower end of the stem 6 I provide a guide 16, which is in the form of a common bearing-jewel or provided with such a jewel and acts to guide the said stem and prevents the cores from touching the sides of the solenoids. The lower end of the stem 6 is provided with a vertical pin 17 of smaller diameter, which slides within the jewel 16. I prefer to use platinum-tipped arc-forming contacts 18 19 instead of carbon, as these dispense with the feed mechanism shown in my prior application. Normally there is no destructive are at the contacts, and the only time at which any perceptible or destructive arc is produced is when the line-generator is suddenly brought up to normal voltage.

To obviate the possible destruction of the platinum contacts and provide protection thereto upon such occasions, I provide an auxiliary solenoid 20, which is fitted with perforated guiding-ears 21 and mounted to slide vertically upon a pair of guide-rods 22. Said auxiliary solenoid 20 is adjustably secured in position upon the guide-rods 22 by means of screws 23, which pass through said perforated cars 21 and engage said guide-rods, and said solenoid in provided with a core 24, which carries at its upper end a movable arcforming contact 25, which forms one of a second set of arc-forming contacts. 26 indicates the other arcforming contact with which the contact 25 cooperates. The said contacts 25 and 26 are in series with the contacts 18 and 19, and the winding of the auxiliary solenoid is in series with the shunt fieldwinding 27 of the exciting-dynamo 28. The effect of this arrangement is such that when a generator is being brought up to normal speed the ampere-current flowing in the shunt-field of the exciter will rise faster than the voltage of the alternating primary circuit from which the potential-coil of my regulator is operated, and the effect of this is such that I can energize the auxiliary solenoid in time to open the secondary contacts and 26 before the potential-solenoid 2 opens the main arc-forming contacts 18 19. Normally the secondary arc-forming contacts 25 26 are closed, as when the main arcforming contacts 18 19 are opened they increase the resistance to the current that is opening said secondary contacts, and this operation causes the latter to be restored to their normal closed position by means of a spring 29. The core-stem 6 of the main solenoids 1 and 2 is mechanically connected to but electrically insulated from a vertical rod 30, which forms an extension of said stem, and mounted upon the upper end of said rod is a stuffing-box 31, upon the exterior of which is threaded the usual gland 32, adapted to contain packing for securing a tight joint between said stufling-box and a short glass tube 33, the lower end of which is mounted in said stufling-box. The movable main contact 19 is fixed at its lower end in said stufling-box, and both of the main contacts 18 and 19 are contained within said glass tube 33. The upper end of said glass tube slides loosely upon a short stem 34, which carries the main contact 18 at its lower end, and the upper end of said stem 34 is adjustably mounted within a tube 35, which is located at the top of the machine and provided with a binding-screw 36, and the upper end of said stem 34 is tubular and interiorly screw-threaded for receiving a threaded plug 37. Mounted within said tube 35 and extending also into the tubular and 26 are contained within a glass tube 33,

which is identical in construction with the tube just described in connection with the main contacts 18 19, and, in fact, the construction of the stufiing-box 31 and its connections is duplicated and applied to the said auxiliary contacts 25 26, as shown more clearly in Fig. 1.

The spring 15 beneath the main contacts 18 and 19 is controlled by a pair of nuts 42 and 43, and these are also duplicated above the spring 29 of the said auxiliary solenoid 20. The glass tube 33 of the said auxiliary contacts 25 26 is preferably to be filled with oil to submerge said contacts and cause them to stand a heavier current than the main contacts ever need to stand. (See Fig. 5.)

Connected in multiple in the shunt exciter field-circuit are a series of incandescent lamps 44, and I also use a non-inductive high-resistance coil 45, connected in shunt with the main arc-forming contacts, for preserving the circuit in case the main contacts should be drawn apart too far. The purpose of said lamps is the same as that of said coil 45; but the lamps preferably have slightly-less resistance than said coil in order that they may act as a further protection to the coil and also to the main contacts. The said lamps absorb any static discharge that tends to flow across the are between said main contacts.

A common switch 46 connects the exciter field-winding to the usual rheostat 47 so that in case of any derangement of the regulator said switch may be thrown andrthe exciter 28 may then be regulated by said rheostat; but it will of course be understood that when the regulator is in order said rheostat is not used. Said exciter 28 is connected to the field 48 of the alternating dynamo 14.

The solenoids and their connections are in the present instance mounted in a rectangular casing 49, provided at one side with a vertical door 50, which is provided with the usual hinges 51. (See Fig. 3.) The various terminals are provided with common bindingposts 52.

The incandescent lamps 44 are located upon the top 53. 54 indicates a sheet-metal base, also located upon the top 53 and provided with the usual set-screws 55, by means of which a common glass globe 56 is secured in position. Said globe 56 is made to inclose and protect the mechanism above the top 53 and yet permit the same to be inspected without removing said globe.

I claim 1. A voltage-regulator having two separate solenoids the cores of which are mechanically connected to move simultaneously in axial alinement, and one of said solenoids being adjustably mounted so that it may be shifted to inclose more or less of its core, substantially as specified.

2. A voltage-regulator having two separate solenoids the cores of which are mechanically connected to move simultaneously in axial alinement, and both of said solenoids being adjustably mounted so that they may be shifted to inclose more or less of their cores, substantially as specified. I

3. A voltage-regulator having two separate solenoids the cores of which are mechanically connected to move simultaneously in axial alinement, and both of said solenoids being adjustably mounted so that they may be shifted to inclose more or less of their cores, said solenoids having perforated guiding-ears, in combination with rods upon which said ears slide, and means for supporting and fixing said ears in position upon said rods, substantially as specified.

4. A voltage-regulator having two separate solenoids the cores of which are in axial alinement, and both of said solenoids being adjustably mounted so that they may be shifted to inclose more or less of their cores, said solenoids having perforated guiding-ears, in combination with rods upon which said ears slide, means for supporting and fixing said ears in position upon said rods, two cores mounted adjustably, a core-stem having screw-threads, fiber disks mounted upon said stem at the ends of said cores, and nuts threaded upon said stem and arranged to clamp said disks against the ends of said cores, substantially as specified.

5. A voltage-regulator having two solenoids arranged one above the other, cores in axial alinement with each other, a stem upon which said cores are mounted, a vertical pin at the lower end of said stem, a jeweled hearing for said pin, two arc-forming contacts above said stem, and adapted to be separated by movement of said cores, a spring for supporting the weight of said cores and stem and means for adjusting said spring, substantially as specified.

6. A voltage-regulator, comprising two solenoids, a main line across which one of said solenoids is connected, a series transformer in said line, and to which the other one of said solenoids is connected, cores for said solenoids, a single stem upon which the cores for both solenoids are mounted, a pair of areforming contacts controlled by said cores and in circuit with the shunt field-winding of an exciter-dynamo, an auxiliary solenoid also in circuit with said shunt field-winding, a pair of contacts controlled by said auxiliary solenoid, and in series with said first-mentioned arc-forming contacts, and a resistance connected as a shunt to said two sets of arc-forming contacts, substantially as specified.

7. A voltage-regulator comprising two solenoids, a main line across which one of said solenoids is connected, a series transformer in said line and to which the other one of said solenoids is connected, cores for said solenoids, a pair of arc-forming contacts controlled by said cores and in circuit with the shunt field-winding of an exciter-dynamo, an auxiliary solenoid also in circuit with said fieldwinding', another pair of contacts controlled by said auxiliary solenoid and in series with said first-mentioned contacts, and suitable resistances connected as a shunt to said two sets of arc-forming contacts, substantially as specified.

8. A voltage-regulator, comprising two solenoids, a main line across which one of said solenoids is connected, a series transformer in said line and to which the other one of said solenoids is connected, cores for said solenoids, a pair of arc-forming contacts controlled by said cores and in circuit with the shunt field-winding of an exciter-dynamo, an auxiliary solenoid also in circuit with said fieldwinding, another pair of contacts controlled by said auxiliary solenoid and in series with said first-mentioned contacts, a resistance-coil connected in shunt to one of said sets of arcforming contacts, and a series of lamps also connected as a shunt to saidtwo series of areforming contacts, substantially as specified.

9. In a voltage-regulator, the combination of two solenoids magnetically separated, cores for said solenoids, a stem connected to said cores, a spring arranged to oppose the force exerted by one of said cores, a pair of arcforming platinum contacts, one of which is connected to said stem, and a glass inclosure for said contacts, substantially as specified.

10. In a voltage-regulator, the combination of two solenoids magnetically separated, cores for said solenoids, a stem connected to said cores, a spring arranged to oppose the force exerted by one of said cores, a pair of areforming platinum contacts, one of which is connected to said stem, a glass-tube holder connected to said stem, and a glass inclosure carried by said holder and inclosing said contacts, substantially as described.

11. In a voltage-regulator, the combination of two solenoids magnetically separated, cores for said solenoids, a stem connected to said cores, a spring arranged to oppose the force exerted by one of said cores, means for adjusting said spring, a pair of are-forming platinum contacts, one of which is connected to said stem, another stem which carries said other contact, and means for adjusting the position of said last-mentioned stem, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE S. NEELEY.

Witnesses:

MAY (1. FELLHAUER, JOHN C. HIGDON. 

